Chapter 36
Main Timeline - Zeno´s Palace
After the group of fighters from Universe 7 had passed the gates, they were now on their way to their meeting with Lord Zeno and the Grandpriest.
"You look very much like Freeza. You are his brother they had mentioned, right?" Future Trunks addressed Cooler, one of the two other fighters he was not familiar with.
"Yes - I am," he responded, "but I had not much to do with my family after my father had send me away. So I don´t care about his death much. And me and Freeza only reconcilated shortly before he was also gone for good as well."
"I see," Future Trunks stated. "And you are Broly," he said to him. "I heard my grandfather essentially banished your father and you a long time ago and he raised you to take revenge on the royal family."
"Yes - but the matter had been resolved," Broly replied. "So you don´t need to worry about it."
"I see," Trunks said once again. "It seems if things were only a bit different, me and you two could have been enemies."
"Probably," Cooler agreed.
They arrived in this moment at Zeno´s throne-room.
As usual the two Zenos were sitting on their double-thrones, with the Grandpriest standing in front and the two guards behind them.
"Zen-chan," Goku called out, "we are here."
"Goku," the two child-like Supreme Gods called back at the same time as they saw him. "It is good that you and the others have arrived," one of them said - the one who was actually from this timeline and the one who knew Goku longer.
"Indeed," the Grandpriest agreed. "Then let us beginn."
They were however not the only people waiting for them this time.
Assembled in a long line before the Grandpriest were the Kaioshin and God´s of Destruction of all twelve Universes and their Angels - minus Beerus and Whis, who just now arrived with the Universe 7 warriors.
None of the Gods said anything abou Goku´s behavior. They were by now all used to it and to Lord Zeno´s reaction. Which was actually positive if you
In a respectfull distance away from them were also standing the fighters Jiren, Toppo, Dyspo, Kahseral and Cocotte from Universe 11 and a few meters next to them their friends Cabba, Caulifla, Kale and Hit from Universe 6...
"Master Vegeta, Goku," Cabba greeted them.
"Yes - how have you been," Caulifla called out as well.
... and a few warriors from Universe 2. In the front of them however was a young quite woman wearing a pink and blue colored dress who they did not know. She had long greenish hair with brown strains in it and bright blue eyes. All in all she was looking like a typical Universe Two `Maiden´ warrior, but she was one they had never seen before.
But then they noticed that the woman was wearing potara-earrings.
Of course, that explained it.
"Brianne?... and Sanka," Eighteen said surprised as they came closer.
"Yes - they are me," the woman said. "While we all have gotten much stronger during the last years, it was still not enough to actually be a factor in this battle. But Universe 2 wanted to contribute in it as well. So Lord Pell and Lady Heles gave us the potara rings and we fused."
This comment caused some of the other Kaioshins and Gods of Destruction present to look a bit unconfortably. Goku and the others realized that no other fighters beside from Universe Seven, Six, Eleven and Two were here.
Did the others not have anyone strong enough? Or could they not afford to send them?
"I guess you can call me Brieka," The fusion of Brianne and Sanka said. "I have now twice the love and much more power."
They all knew perfectly how much of a difference a potara fusion could make. But...
"You realize that the fusion will only hold for an hour unless your are a god," Vegeta reminded them.
"Yes - we know that," Brieka replied. "But...
"Lord Pell and I have modified the potara, so that they will work longer on Mortals," Heles, who along with the other gods had overheard the exchange, explained. "It will now hold for at least a day."
"I am curious how your transformation now looks like," Seventeen said to Brieka.
They all remembered their quite ridiculous looking transformed states. None of them could really imagine what a combination of Ribrianne and Kakunza would be like.
"You will be surprised," Brieka replied with a small grin.
Goku grinned at her widely after hearing her comment.
"Maybe it would be a good idea if we take potara along as well," Seventeen suggested. "I know many here don´t like the idea of fusing, but if we have our backs to the walls, it would be useful to have a trump."
"I think that is a good idea actually," the Grandpriest stated. "So maybe a few more of you could give potara to our warriors. After all most of your universes have not managed to contribute warriors. So you could do this instead, right?"
"Well..." Kale said.
"We already have them," Caulifla ended for her as both held an earring up.
"I actually wanted to give them to you anyway," the Universe 7 Kaioshin said as he handed another pair to Goku.
"You actually want us to hand over sacred objects to Mortals?" One of the other Kaioshin, from one of the Universe that hadn´t taken part in the Tournament of Power, called out.
"This is a battle over the fate of the Multiverse," the Grandpriest said sternly. "If you are already unable to contribute warriors, you could at least do this."
"Well - we need all the warriors we have to defend our own universes with Demigra´s agents showing up and attacking everywhere," the God of Destruction of Universe 1 defended himself.
"And the potara might be needed for our own warriors as well," the same universe´s Kaioshin said. "We simply don´t have such powerful fighters like Universe Seven or Eleven."
"But you have far more of them than any other universe," another one called out.
"Who would only be canon-fodder against Demigra´s servants," the Universe 1 Kaioshin called back.
"We thought about sending Aniraza," the Kaioshin of Universe 3 mentioned. They all of course remembered the multi-fusion of half of the Universe 3 team from the Tournament of Power.
"But he is just too unpredictable in his fused state and not able to cooperate with the others. And besides, we might also need them to defend Universe 3 if Demigra´s Agents attack us too."
The last statement explained why only a few universes had send warriors.
"He is right," Future Trunks stated. "My world has already been attacked by one of these agents. People died."
He did not say who.
The rest of the Universe 7 team looked at him. They would ask of more details from him later. But this was not the place to discuse this, given the fact that Trunks was from another timeline. Lord Beerus and Zeno himself might know about this, but it was not necessary to make things more complicated with all the others.
Finally Gowazu - the Kaioshin of Universe 10, who Goku, Vegeta and Future Trunks knew all too well - stepped forward.
"Lord Gowazu," Future Trunks greeted him.
"Trunks," he replied. "I would ask how you have been, but something about you tells me that something bad had happened."
"That is true," Trunks replied. He remembered what happened to his younger self and his wife. "But it is still good to see you."
"Well - I still owe you anyway for stopping Zamasu," Gowazu said and wanted to hand his pair of potara to Future Trunks and Gohan.
"Well - thank you Lord Gowazu, but I think you should keep them," Gohan answered. "Your universe might need them for yourself."
"Besides - our universe has two pairs anyway," the Universe 7 Kaioshin stated.
He was of course refering to the pair that belonged to the old Kaioshin, that had Goku and Vegeta once used against Buu.
"This are the ones that belonged to the Elder Kaioshin," he said as he gave Gohan the second pair.
"Well - now that you have cleared that, we should beginn with the reason why you all are here," the Highpriest stated.
He had watched their conversation so far without saying anything. The exchange of the potara might be indeed useful. The Grandpriest only hoped that the earrings should no be missing in their own universe should they be attacked.
"The old enemy we are all about to face. Demigra had managed to break free from the void between the realities where he had been banished to many hundreds of million years ago.
By what we have found out, his and his follower´s activities seemed to have already led to the collapse of an entire timeline since he had been freed. We also believe that he had send out agents to other worlds to spread chaos. That means any of your home-universes could also be attacked.
Demigra himself and his main-force however have set up a base on an unpopulated planet of the Universe 7 of the last timeline they visited and are remaining there. Lord Zeno and I are not sure of the reason, but we intend to send a group of warriors to confront them there. One that will be led by me in person."
This was news too all of them. Normally the Grandpriest barely left Lord Zeno´s side.
"That is the reason you all are here, you have been selected and volunteered to be part of this group," he said. "Well, most of you were."
His eyes fell on the lines of Universe 11 and 6.
"Only Jiren and myself will take art of the mission. Kahseral, Dyspo and Cocotte are just here to get a better picture of the situation before Lord Belmond will send them back to defend our universe," Toppo explained.
"I see," the Grandpriest replied.
That left Universe 6. Here was also two persons present who was not supposed to be.
"We had actually only asked for Caulifla and Kale as well," he stated. "More precisely for their Fusion Kefla."
"Lord Grandpriest, Lord Zeno," Cabba said. "When Caulifla and Kale go, I refuse to stay behind. I want go with them."
"No - not at all," Champa called out. "We need you, Hit and the others to defend Universe 6. That Caulifla and Kale are going is bad enough."
"I don´t want them to go alone," Cabba said.
Caulifla and Kale exchanged a short look with each other. Most people present, at least the Mortals, knew that that they had a three-way relationship going on between them. Not that the gods here would have cared in the first place about what a trio of Mortal were doing with each other.
Well, it seemed to work out for them, as strange as their relationship might been for some people.
The members of Universe 2 had of course instantly given them their blessing when they heard of it during the mission to the `Planet of Doom´ last year, since `Love knew no bounderies´.
"Cabba - of course you want to come along," Caulifla replied. "We will be great together like always."
"Okay," Champa gave in, "but Hit will return with us to Universe 6 in case something happen."
"Please be careful Cabba," Kale told him. "You know who we are fighting against. I - I don´t want something to happen to you."
"Okay - now that we have worked this details out as well," the Grandpriest stated. "I want to tell you about Demigra´s real identity and his heritate. I have to remind you, so far it had always only been his Servants or apparations of him you had faced, not himself in his true body."
They were already aware of this, technically at least. The Highpriest just reminded them of it once again. How much stronger would Demigra´s true self be? that was the question.
"Demigra came into existence as my twin brother, before he turned against Lord Zeno," he continued. "Back then his power rivalled my own. Of course I have become stronger since then, but so has he. It is hard to say how exactly we stand to each other in this days. Demigra also possesses a few special abilities that I don´t, mostly connected to the Super Dragon Ball. For the beginning, he can not be killed with any known means."
So much to that, many present thought. A rival of the most powerful warrior in the Multiverse... and immortal on top of that.
"What!?" someone called out. It had been one of the Kaioshins. But even the Gods of Destruction, the one who had not been aware of this facts before at least, looked shocked.
"But that is not everything," the Grandpriest continued, looking very serious.
The two Zenos made a gesture and suddenly a very large screen appeared before them out of nowhere.
"What you will watch now has never been seen by neither Mortal or God or even any Angel beside myself before," the Grandpriest said. "Only Lord Zeno and myself knew about these events."
The screen became active and showed a scene, a scene from a long time ago.
"The pictures you see now are taken from my and Lord Zeno´s own memories," the Headpriest explained.
xxxxxxx
Hundreds of Million years years earlier
For a few moments they saw in the center of the scene on the screen a brightly silvery shining figure that only seemed o consist of glowing energy.
They could not made out any real features. For the short moment they saw it, the figure only seemed to be a silhuete.
In front of the being were standing two humanoid beings with light blue skin - angelic beings. One of them with white hair, the other who was otherwise very similar looking, with red one. The first, they recognized instantly as the Grandpriest himself, looking nearly exactly like he did today. They realized who the other had to be... his brother - Demigra.
They were standing in some wide empty barren landscape.
Nearly as soon as it had appeared on the screen however, the silvery being suddenly split into two and the two halves formed themselves into very different looking beings.
The first was a tall nearly humanoid being, however with large wings and scales at the side of his face. The other was a small child like being they all would recognize instantly - Lord Zeno.
The two angelic beings kneeled dow, a bit to the watchers surprise to both the beings before them.
"My Lord," - was this really necessary?" the red-haired one asked a bit insecure.
The dragon-being sighed.
"Please trus me Meadhon, it was. The infestation of the dark force had taken too much influence. It was the only way."
`Meadhon´ didn´t look happy, but seemed to accept his words.
They were originally speaking in the language of the Gods, bit the recording seemed to translate for the audience.
"Lord Zeno," the future Grandpriest addressed him.
"No Alceal," the dragon-like being said, "he alone is now Lord Zeno," he gestured to the child-being beside him, "at least by the name. You can call me... Zalama."
The creator of the Super Dragon Balls, they recognized the name.
The child Zeno now opened his eyes and looked around curiously.
"Hey - I recognize you, you are my priests Alcael and Meadhon," he said.
"That is correct My Lord," Alceal - the Highpriest - replied smiling.
"My Lord," Meadhon greeted him as well.
"My other half retains most if not all of our memories," Zalama/Zeno explains. "But he sees the world with the eyes of a child. I hope this will protect him from the influence of the dark presence."
He raised his hand.
"As for myself, I will seal my part of our power into the life of this Dragon."
The large form of the Super Shenlong appeared in the sky above them.
"And him in turn into these... Dragon Balls." He came up with the last words with some consideration.
"But why Dragons My Lord?" Alceal asked.
"Because Dragons are neet," Child Zeno called out.
"I would have put it a bit more eloquently," Zalama stated, "but yes."
xxxxxxx
The scene ended.
"Maybe it all could have been avoided," the Grandpriest said at this point. "It was around that time that the Kaio had first been created and the first sets of Kaioshin and Gods of Destruction of the then 18 Universes were chosen. It was probably this first incident.
At that time the first gathering of the Kaioshin and the Kaioshin and Destruction Gods was taking place and they were meant to first meet Lord Zeno face to face. One of the Gods of Destruction did not believe it as he saw him. He seemed to think that it was some kind of joke and started to laugh.
He said then something like: "Let us see the real Lord Zeno."
"Lord Zeno didn´t take it well. In his anger he instantly erased the poor fool from existence and as a result the Kaioshin of the same universe died as well.
As it turned out however that particular universe had at that time been terrorized by a number of monsters who had appeared some time earlier, beings comparible o Freeza when you first met him.
This would not have been much of a problem, but with both the God of Destruction and the Kaioshin gone, nobody was left to stop his beings and that universe fell into chaos and nearly all intelligent life was destroyed before anyone even noticed. Lord Zeno finally erased this universe as there was no hope left.
The Angel of that universe was Saek, my brother´s oldest son and today one of his followers as you know," he reminded them. "Looking back things never seemed to be the same after this. Meadhon left Lord Zeno´s side, along with six out of the eighteen Angels."
"So much to his child-like state holding the `dark-manifestation´ at bay," the Grandpriest remembered his brother growling at him bitterly after this events.
"A few million years later my brother, who had started to call himself Demigra, started a rebellion along with his Angels and an army of followers they had recruited from the lower gods and Mortals," he explained.
The two Zenos looked downwards, like they felt really bad about this.
"Sorry," they actually said at the same time.
"But the worst was yet to come," the Highpriest said.
xxxxxxx
A second scene followed.
At first the monitor showed them a few glympses of the war that was raging across several universes.
Angels, Gods and mortal armies were fighting each other, monsters were running rampant - given additional powers by Meadhon - Demigra.
Then the scene switched to another place, where the lone figure of Meadhon was standing on the surface of one of the Super Dragon Balls, the other six in the sky above him.
He had already summoned the Dragon and the figure of Salama (as they now know another incarnation of Zeno) was standing next to him.
"... I am sad about the path you decided to take Meadhon - or Demigra as you call yourself now," was the first thing the Grandpriest who just appeared heard him saying.
"That means much coming from a Supreme God who abandoned his duties and placed them on an immature child-version of himself instead."
"You know my reasons," Zalama/Zeno said.
"I am not interested in your excuses," Demigra replied. "This dark corruption to keep talking about never played a role until you let this child take over," he spat at him. "You have heard my wish. And by your own restriction when you sealed your powers into the Dragon Balls, you have to fulfill it."
The Grandpriest, standing in some distance to them, realized he was already too late. Demigra had already made his wish.
"Your wish is been fullfilled," the Dragon roared above them.
What had Demigra wished for?
"One last thing," Demigra said. "I should now be entirely indestructable, unless Zeno is willing to erase the entire Multiverse. But there is one last thing. The Dragon Balls themselves. Now what should I do to make sure nobody can use them against me?" he asked rhetorically.
"Say - you yourself are immune against their powers aren´t you? And after they are used to fullfil a great wish like this, your are always heavily weakened, aren´t you"
Demigra reached his hand out to the Dragon God.
"No!" the Grandpriest shouted. He realized what Demigra was going to do.
But Demigra had already placed his hand on the heavily weakened Zalama´s chest... and used a absorbtion technique.
One moment later Zalama´s body had disappeared. Demigra´s however started to change. He grew taller, his ears became pointed and his eyes turned golden.
He was now looking much more like the Demigra they met in the future.
"Yes," he whispered.
"What have you done?" the Grandpriest shouted at him.
He looked up at him. "Brother," he said.
A few moments later however it looked as if something was absolutely not right.
Demigra´s energy was suddenly raising up in an intense pitch and at the same time a dark aura was suddenly surrounding him.
The black aura was getting more and more intense, while Demigra first let out a loud hollow sounding shout.
Then he suddenly started to laugh manically. While the black aura spread from his body over the entire surrounding area.
At the same time the same dark aura was manifesting itself at different places across several universes, spreading over Demigra´s followers, over all the beings those energy he had enhanced with his own power, all who were connected to him.
The monsters and evil warriors he had recruited or created became even stronger and more destructive and evil than before, as the dark presence started to influence them.
Even some of his Fallen Angels fell under it´s influence.
Entire star systems and galaxis were wiped out and within minutes.
xxx
And at the same time far away in his Palace, for the first time in his long existence, Lord Zeno was screaming in horribly pain. It was for him as if he had been cut apart and a part of himself had been consumed in absolute darkness.
And in his agony he leashed out at what he felt was the source of his pain.
And as Lord Zeno finally came back to his senses, five more out of the originally eighteen universes had disappeared.